Articles about Smartwatch

Owning a smartphone is just about a given these days, and it is also becoming true for a smartwatch. If you have bought into the OnePlus ecosystem for your phone and watch, the company has just released an incredible 2-in-1 charger cable.

While not an entirely unique idea – there are various chargers out there that can charge two devices at the same time – the solution from OnePlus has at least a couple of features that make it stand out from the crowd.

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Google Maps is so ubiquitous that it is hard to imagine that there are any unsupported platforms remaining, but there are still a few. This is highlighted by arrival of Google Maps for Garmin smartwatches via the Connect IQ Store.

This free app means that owners of key Garmin devices can now benefit from turn-by-turn navigation on their wrist. The newly released app is targeted primarily at walkers, cyclists and runners, but it can also be used when driving or performing other activities if this feels helpful to users.

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If you’ve been eyeing an Apple Watch but don’t want to drop hundreds of dollars on your wrist (especially in this economy), Amazfit may have something worth considering. The newly released Bip 6 smartwatch delivers a bunch of smart features, health tracking tools, and a bright AMOLED display -- all for just $79.99. Yeah, folks, you read that right!

This watch isn’t trying to be flashy or overcomplicated. It’s built to get the job done without becoming a nuisance to use. The Bip 6 sports a 1.97-inch AMOLED screen that hits 2,000 nits of brightness, so you won’t be squinting at it in the sun. The body is aluminum alloy, it’s water resistant up to 5 ATM, and Amazfit says you’ll get about two weeks of battery life on a charge. An Apple Watch, meanwhile, pretty much needs to be charged daily… annoying.

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In an unexpected yet exciting move, Google has released the source code for the Pebble smartwatch operating system on GitHub. This release is a big deal for the Pebble faithful, especially the Rebble community, which has worked tirelessly to keep these iconic wearables functional since Pebble closed up shop back in 2016.

Pebble’s story is one of innovation and community. The brand shot to fame through its record-breaking Kickstarter campaigns, with its first project becoming the most-funded on the platform at the time. Its follow-up, Pebble Time, also smashed records and still holds the spot as the second-most-funded Kickstarter project ever.

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Google has introduced the Pixel Watch 3, an updated version of its smartwatch that features a new Loss of Pulse Detection capability. This safety feature is designed to automatically contact emergency services if it detects that the wearer’s heart has stopped.

The Pixel Watch 3 enhances its previous models with several improved features. It is available in two sizes, 41mm and a new 45mm option, with displays that achieve a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. This improvement ensures visibility in bright light conditions and adjusts to lower brightness in darker settings.

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Although my Apple Watch is capable of doing a lot of things, such as delivering messages and letting me reply to them, reporting on the weather, and controlling my music, it’s the many health functions I get the most from.

BP Doctor Smart Watch is much more affordable alternative to the Apple Watch that offers a wealth of similar health monitoring tricks, including recording your heart rate and blood oxygen levels, sleep time and HRV (Sleeping Heart Rate Variability), activity (outdoor walking, and indoor or outdoor running) and calories burned. It also has another impressive ability, and one that gives the device its name -- it can record your blood pressure.

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Wear OS has been a success in the wearables market and a solid competitor to Apple’s watchOS platform. Both operating systems have their fans. However, like with another Google creation, Android, the search giant doesn't always have a clear vision where it’s going with it. That’s not a knock on the Mountain View company, just an observation. It can be viewed as being careful and listening to input. 

Back in mid-May at Google I/O 2021, the company’s big annual conference, it formally announced Wear OS 3.0, the next operating system that will power its smartwatches.  

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Google's parent company Alphabet has made an offer to buy health and fitness wearable maker Fitbit, according to reports.

Although unconfirmed by either party, such a bid would not be entirely surprising. Although Google has produced its Wear OS operating system for wearables, it is yet to produce any devices of its own -- despite users clamoring for a Google-made smartwatch for some time.

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As smartwatches take on more and more functions they are more likely to access business and personal data, so focus turns to their security.

Consumer authentication specialist Nok Nok Labs is launching the industry's first FIDO-based authentication solution for smartwatches in the form of its Nok Nok App SDK for Smart Watch.

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I recently canceled Amazon Prime, as I found the subscription to be deficient -- especially at $129 per year. What was wrong with Prime? Many things, such as the video library being atrocious and the included Amazon Music service having a very small library (two million songs). Amazon makes you pony up even more money to have a larger music library (50 million songs). Not to mention, the Amazon Music interface is nothing to write home about -- overall, die hard music fans should look elsewhere, such as Apple Music or Spotify.

But OK, let's say you are a casual music listener that takes advantage of either Amazon Music or the pricier Amazon Music Unlimited. If that is you, I have good news -- your music service is now available on some Garmin smartwatches!

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HUAWEI makes excellent products -- its laptops, tablets, and smartphones are some of the best. The company wisely focuses on beauty in technology, crafting devices that don't just work well, but look attractive too. The Huawei MateBook 13, for instance, is one of the most beautiful laptops I've had the pleasure of using. Its products are not just skin deep, however, as they are also backed by high durability and performance.

The company is hoping American consumers will also be interested in its wearables, as today, it reveals the previously announced HUAWEI WATCH GT is finally coming to America. While not the company's first smartwatch to hit the USA, it is definitely the most intriguing. It runs an open source operating system called LiteOS, and battery life can apparently reach two weeks. No, that is not a typo -- two weeks! It focuses heavily on health -- it can monitor fitness and sleep. Best of all, it is compatible with both iOS and Android, so it won't lock you into either platform.

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For many people wearing a watch is as much about how it looks as how it works. In these days of smart devices that often requires a trade off between style and function.

Do you leave your good-looking watch at home while you wear your smart watch, or do you look a bit needy by putting a wearable fitness tracker or similar on your other wrist? With the Oaxis Timepiece you no longer have to make the choice.

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Today -- after weeks of leaks -- Samsung finally revealed the eagerly anticipated Galaxy Note9. While we already knew just about everything about this smartphone, we now know that it has an astonishing price tag (between $1,000 and $1,250) and that it includes exclusive access to the beta version of Fortnite for Android.

At the same event, Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy Watch -- dropping the Gear branding once and for all. Available in 42mm and 46mm models, the watch features LTE connectivity and boasts impressive battery life. But has the launch of the two products lived up to expectations?

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Smartwatches are largely garbage. Whether Apple Watch or Android Wear, these wrist-worn nuisances don't do much beyond inducing anxiety by bombarding the wearer with notifications. If you are big into fitness, you might find some value, but for the most part, these devices are nothing more than a way for companies to grab cash from consumers as the smartphone market slows.

Apple Watch has seen significant success, although I suspect many buyers are simply getting them as status symbols -- not for an actual need. Android Wear, however, is a major disappointment -- both from a sales and satisfaction perspective. Just like Android smartphones, these watches face fragmentation and a lack of updates. Today, Google announces that it will try to polish the turd that is Android Wear by giving it a new name -- Wear OS.

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Even though Google released Android Oreo a couple of months ago, this version of the popular operating system is not available on a significant number of devices yet. As always, it will take a while for manufacturers to support it. However, things are moving in the right direction, as the Android Wear roll-out goes to prove.

Google says that Android Oreo has already hit a number of smartwatches, with the LG Watch Sport being among the first five such devices to get the update. Question is, will your Android Wear devices get it as well?

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